Cleaning machine



Oct. 23, 1934. w. E. SHARP 1,977,649

I CLEANING MACHINE Filed July 51, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l l5 ,gwuewito'v m...

Oct. 23, 1934. y w. E. SHARP 7,

CLEANING MACHINE Filed July 31, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 .w l MW I 11 /7 15 74 I I 29 'M I 7. i I amnion 25 M'Zh'cm; ifilfa b 12 3g 2; 2 9m aim Oct. 23, 1934. wr SHARP I 1,977,649

CLEANING MACHINE Filed July 31, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 23, 1934 UN TED- TA CLEANING winiamn. Sharp, Chicago, ml;- Minnie E: Sharp executrix of saidWilliam E. Sharp, deceased Application July 31, 1930, Serial No. 472,156

15 Claims. (01. 259-81) Y I I V This invention relates .to cleaning machines, and more particularly toa-device adapted for cleanin articles of wearing apparel.

, V The principal object of my invention, generally considered, is to provide a machine involving a transparent rotatable container adapted for holding cleaning fluid andarticles to be cleaned, whereby such articlesarecleaned upon a mere rotation of the container and the progress of cleaning-inlay be followed without opening the container. v a

Another object of my invention is to providea cleaning machine preferably having a .pressed metal supporting frame involving bearing brackets, the upper ends ofwhichare-slotted, with inturned flanges at the lower ends o-fvsaid slots providing bearings, said bearings receiving trunnions on the Opposite ends of a band encircling a preferably transparent container for: cleaning fluid and articles to be cle'aned, one of said trunnions having connected thereto a handle for turning the container andnorxnally interlocked with the bearing flange to preventunde'sired upward. movement thereof during turning.

A further object of my. invention is to provide a cleaning machine involving a pressed metal base downwardly embossed to maintain a low center of gravity and slotted to receiveconnecting lugs on upstanding bearing brackets, said brackets preferably involving parallel web portions cor rugated for stiffness and tapering flanges on the side edges thereof the upper ends of said brackets terminating in bearing slots normally closed bycovers for improving the appearance of the 3 5 machineand avoiding the undesired entry of anything into the bearing slots.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a cleaning machine preferably involving a glass jar, hexagonal or non-circular in section, and provided with spaced parallel ribs between which is mounted a band which supports and normally prevents rotation .of the jar about its longitudinal axis, opposite ends of said band having connected thereto bearing trunnions for rotatably mounting said jar, so that when articles and cleaning fluid are placed in said jar and ro tated, said fluidwill be'efficiently agitated and caused to flowto all parts of the articles to be cleaned, :said glass jar permitting inspection of 5 0 said articles prior to opening the jar for removal Referring to the drawings illustratingmy invention, thescope whereof is definedbyjthe ap-lpended claimsza V Q Figure 1 is a .perspective ;view .of one;embodiment of my cleaning machine. r p j Fig.2, is a planof the machine shownin Fig.- 1; Fig.3 is a partial side elevationandpartial Ver tical section of the machineof Fig. l. r1 1 Figs 4 is a fragmentary plan of the base of the: machine showing how the bearing. brackets are connected thereto.

Fig. 5 is'a fragmentary detail view of the upper end of oneof the bearing'brackets showing howthe-slot cover is applied z, T

' Fig. 6 is a verticalsectional view on the-line 6-6- of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrgws .1 1

Fig-37 is 'a fragmentary view, partly inelevation and partly in section, of the band for sup-' porting the bottle or jar and the associated band clips, trunnions and crank; i r

Fig. Bisa'fragmentary viewcorresponding to Fig. 7, but showingtheband, clips, 'trunnions and handle looking in a direction at right angles to the direction of view of Fig. 7. i

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view on the line 99 of Fig. '8, looking in the direction of thearrows. e l

a Fig; 10 is a detail side elevationof the't'r'urn men to which the'trunnioncrank is connected. 11 isan end elevation'of the sametrun 12isa plan of the'blank from which'one of the band clips is constructed t Fig. 13 is ajview of the same'blank after the trunnion connectingportion hasbeen bent to position at right angl'es'to the band encirclingportion thereof., V g a .Fig. 14 is a detail view of the completed 'band clip separated from its'associated trunnion;

Fig.' 15 is a fragmentary 'viewcorresponding to Fig. 3, but showing anotherembodiment of my invention. 7

Fig. 16 is a transverse sectional view'on the line 16-16 of Fig. 15, looking in the direction of the arrows. I v

Fig.1? is a detail side "elevation of a modified form of driven trunnion normally used with thedrive trunnion illustratedin Figs. 15 and 16.

Referring to the. drawings in detail, like parts being designated by like reference characters, the embodiment of'my cleaning machine illus-' trated in Figures 1 to14, inclusive, involves a container which is preferably. made of glassor the handle from the top of the cap 2, of course',

leaves apertures 4 on either side thereonand said apertures are normally closed by a flat plate of metal or other desired material 5. The bottle or jar 1 is preferably closed by forcing the plate 5, an associated felt pad, 5% and atin foil faced pulp board liner 5 into tight contact with the edge of the open end thereof by screwing on the cap 2 to the position shown most clearly in Fig. 3. The felt of the pad is to furnish resiliency to compensate for any irregularity in the top of the container 1 and the tin foil faced liner is toresist the action of the cleaning fluid.

In order to properly supportthe container 1' for rotation about a transverse axis, said container desirably has a pair of spaced parallel ribs 6 encircling the same and disposed on either side of the center of gravity thereof, thereby providing a groove '7 therebetween for receiving a supporting band 8. In the present embodiment, the band 8 comprises a pair of metal plates 9 of such a width that they snugly fit'between the ribs 6, said plates being in a preferred form -constructed of eighteen gauge steel, being bent to follow the outside contour of the container orbottle 1 and having their ends 10 bent so as to normally lie flat against one another, as shown most clearly in Figure 8. r r

After the sections of the bottle band 9'have been placed in position around the bottle or con tainer 1 between the ribs 6 thereof, the same are desirably held together by clips 11 carrying trunnions 12. Each clip 11 is desirably formed, as illustrated in Figures 12, 13 and 14, the blank being cut, as illustrated in Figure 12, the trimnion engaging portion 13 being bent .at right angles thereto, as illustrated in Figure 13, and

the ends 14 of said blank bent over on the inter-' mediate portion to embrace the engaging ends 10 of the bottle band therebetween and holdthe parts frictionally in assembled relation, it being understood that said clips are sufliciently resilient to snugly receive the ends of the bottle band and hold them firmly together without the necessity of auxiliary retaining means. The clips 11 may desirably be constructed of twelve gauge steel.

The trunnions 12 are desirably differently formed, as one of said trunnions is'provided with a pocket 15 receiving an endof a crank 16 for turning the bottle or container 1. The end .of

said crank received in the trunnion 12 may be locked in place by means of a rivet or'the like a 17, as shown most. clearly in Figures 7 and 8.

Both of the trunnions 12 are desirably provided with non-circular extensions 18 fitting in corresponding apertures 19 in the clips llfor con necting said trunnions thereto, as by riveting, or other desired means. The trunnion 12 opposite to the crank 16 may be formed solid, as it is not necessary that it be adapted to receive a crank.

For rotatively mounting the container or jar 1,

i a stand 20 is provided, said stand being desirably constructed of sheet metal pressed to the desired shape, said metal, in a preferred form, being eighteen gauge steel. The stand 20, in the embodiment illustrated, comprises a base 21 provided with a periphery reinforced by a sloping flange 22, the outer edge of which is flanged horizontally, as indicated at 23, to provide a flat supporting edge. The intermediate portion of the base 21 is desirably downwardly embossed, as indicated at 24, to maintain a low center of gravity and to provide for a bottle or container 1 of maximum size or capacity.

Upstanding from the base 21 is a pair of standards or bearing brackets 25, the lower ends of which desirably rest on the top of the base 21 on either side of the depression or embossment 24,

integrallugs 26 being desirably provided on said lower edge and passing through corresponding slots 27 in the base 21, whereupon they are bent over, as shown most clearly in Figure 3, to lock the standards or bearing brackets securely in position on the base. Great rigidity of the construction is secured by having the sides of the brackets 25 provided with flanges 28, tapering from a maximum at the'lower ends, which are connected to the base, to the upper ends of the brackets where they are provided by bearing slots 29. The brackets 26, as well as the flanges 28 thereon, taper pwardly, as shown mostclearly in Figure 5,'and rigi'difying ribs 30, preferably diverging downwardly, are desirably provided for giving the necessary stifiness thereto.

In order to obviate scoring of the trunnions 12, which are desirably constructed of hard bronze, the portions of the brackets or standards 25 adjacent the" lower ends of the slots 29 are desirably flanged inwardly, as indicated at 31, to provide bearings of relatively large area. In order to prevent undesired upward movement of the trunnion- 12 to which the crank 16 is connected, said trunnion is desirably provided with an annularnotch 32 in-the peripheral flange 33 thereof which abuts the corresponding bottle band clip 11 whereby, when assembled, the free edge of the corresponding bearing flange 31 interlocks in the annular notch 32 of the trunnion 12 to which the crank 16 is connected, the dimensions being such that the bearing brackets 25 may be sprung slightly to permit the trunnions 12 to be placed in the bearing slots 29 with the bearing flange 31 in en-' gagement in the notch 32 of the trunnion 12 carrying the actuating crank 16. After the parts havebeen assembled, as shown in Figure 3, the

slots 29in the standards or bearing brackets 25 are desirably'closed by covers 34 which desirably snugly fit the upper ends of the brackets 25. Said covers are desirably constructed with downwardly opening-slots or notches complemen-' tary to the slots or notches 29 in the standards 25,

each leaving, when nested as shown in Fig. 5, an

spaced'frorn the main web of the cover that when each cover is slid to position over the upper end' of the corresponding bearing bracket 25, said flangeportions 37 will bewedged into gripping contact with the correspondingly tapered flange portions 2.8 on the bracket 25.

overlie the correspondingly tapered orthe'like 17 Referring now toetne embodimentof :my in vention illustrated in'FigureslS, l6 and 17, there isfsho'wn a fragmentary view of a cleaning machine inv'olving' abontainr 1 which may be identical with the conainer 1 of "the first embodi ment, and be encircled by a band-8 comprising a-pair ofm'etal p1ates"9 =,as in the first embodiment Instead, however; of'having' the plates 9 connected togetherby means 'of clips to which trunnions are attachedjas'in th'eflrst embodi ment, I providei'n the'pres'ent embodiment trunnions 12 the drive trunnion being shown in Figures 15' and 16, and the-driven trunnion being shown in detail in Figur e 17,its connection with the bottle bandbeing likewise properly represented in Figure lfifboth 'of said trunnions having peripheral-flanges 33 ,the drive trunnion only shownin Figure 15 having an annular notch 32 in said peripheral flange for interlocking with the free edge of-the bearing flange 31 on the corre-- sponding bracket as' in the previous embodiment;

"'Insteadof being "connected to clips which en- 7 circle "the ends of'the bottle bandB the trun- 2 5" nionsl2 are elongatedor provided with extensions 39 which arerec eivedbetween correspondingly embossed ersons- 40* of the ends of the plates 93 andfriction'ally held therebetween, as

shown mostclearly in Figures 15 and 16, in any desired manner, as bymeans of boltsl and associated nuts 42 extending through the ends of the metal plates 9? on either side of the embossed portions 40,, and thereby holding saidplates tight 1y in place aboutthe trunnions 12 The drive trunnion 12 as in'thepr'evious'embodiment, is

desirably provided with a 'p ocket 1 5 receiving an end of a crank lfiaforturning the bottle or coritainer l. end of "said crank in the trunnion 1'2 may be lockedi place by meanspfa rivet Although I av only fully illustrated the asse'mbly'fof the 'driveftrunniop r2 with a conesponding' en'd ofthe bottle band 8, it will be understood that the driven trunnion 12? may be connected tothe otherend of the band 8 in a similar manner, as, also'properly represented by Figure 16. Except as specifically described in connection with the present embodiment, the

same may correspond with the first embodiment. ,Fromthe foregoing description, taken'in connection' with the accompanying drawings, itwill be seen thatI-havedevised a cleaning machine which, although"partic'ularly adapted for dry cleaning clothing, is not limited to such use, and

which may be readily manufactured, principally of sheet metal parts so constructed as to be readily assembled and taken apart, as desired. As shown, in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the turning crank may, if desired, have applied to the handle or end thereof,

2 which is normally grasped by the hand in turning, a rotatable hand grip portion 38, although such is not essential.

It will be seen that my cleaning machine involves relatively few and simply constructed parts connected together in convenient ways, such as frictionally or by integral means thereon. Thus, it will be seen that the bearing brackets are connected to the base by integral lugs on said brackets fitting in slots in the base. The slot covers for the brackets are held frictionally in place on account of the wedging action between the tapered flanges 28 on the brackets, and the flange portions 3'7 on the slot covers. The engagement between the band clips and the band sections is also frictional in one embodiment illustrated, said clips being bent to the desiredshape, as shown most clearly in"Figure 14, and forced overtthe adjacentends of the band sections. Thetrunnion carrying the actuating crank is resiliently'heldin locked position with respect to the bearing flange 31 on -the supporting bracket 25; so that when in position, the crank 16 may be freely turned without danger of detaching the trunnion from its associated bearing. l I V I Although preferred embodiments of my invention' have been illustrated, it will" be understood that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

Iclaim: I v v 1 v 1. A cleaning machine comprising 'asupport ingfrarne, atransparent container open atone end, a pair of band segments in encircling relationsl'iip with saidcontainer, means locking said segments together in tight engagement with said containerand providing trunnions outstanding therefrom, said frame having bearing'portions rotatably receivingsaid trunnions, one of said trunnions and its bearing comprising a curved flange portion on one andan annular groove in'the other, said curved flange portionbeing horizontally received in said annular groove'thereby preventing upward dislodgment of said trunnion from said bearing, and fluid-tight means 'for closing the open end of said containerJ 2'. A'cleaning machine comprising a supporting frame, said frame having slotted portions providing bearings, a glass jar' provided with outstanding trunnions normally received in said bearings, one of said trunnions and-its bearing comprising an annular groove in one and a flange on ,the'other, said flange fitting horizontally in said groove to prevent upward dislodgment of said trunnion while permitting rotative move- 4. In a cleaning machine, a hexagonal con-'- ta'iner'for cleaning fluidand articles to be cleaned, a pairof spaced ribs encircling said container, a supporting band formed intwo sections engaging said container between said ribs andholding it against movement about its longitudinal axis, trunnions mounted between the adjacent ends of said sections to permit said container to be rotated about a transverse axis, and means adapted to be progressively tightened for simultaneously clamping the band sections in operative engagement with said container and trunnions.

5. In a cleaning machine, a supporting base, a pair of brackets extending upwardly from said base, the upper ends of said brackets being slotted and provided with inturned flanges at the lower ends of said slots toprovide bearings, a container formed with trunnions and supported between said brackets with the trunnions engaging said bearings, one of said trunnions having connected thereto means for rotating the container and having an annular recess normally receiving the bearing flange to prevent undesired upward movement of the trunnion when in use.

6. In a cleaning machine, a container provided with trunnions and adapted to hold cleaning-fiuid and articles to be cleaned, a pressed metal base, and a pairof brackets upstanding from said base, said brackets having upwardly opening slotsand inwardly extending flanges adjacent the bottom of said slotsproviding bear: ings, said slots permitting application and removal of said container, said trunnions normally engaging the bracket bearings, and means onone of said trunnions for turning said container,

uprights having a plurality of corrugations diverging downwardly from said: slotted ends for increasing the strength thereof. v I

8. In a cleaning machine, a pressed metal base, a pair of pressed metal bearing brackets upstandingirorn said base, each bracket comprising-a web, increasing in width from top to bottom, and

flanges at the sides thereof, and means for connecting said brackets to said base comprising integral lugs extending from the lower edges of both web and flanges of said brackets and receivedin corresponding: slotsin the base,

.. 9.- In a cleaning; machine, a pressed-metal base comprising a downwardly flanged periphery and a downwardly embossed body portionfor main-- taining a-low center of gravity, tapered bearing brackets extending upwardly from said base on either side of said. embossed portion, a cleaning fluid container rotatably, -mounted in bearing slots adjacent the top of said brackets, andslot covers, tapered to correspondwithsaid brackets, nesting over the tops of said brackets and closing said slots.

10. In a cleaning machine, a base, a pair of tapered bearingbrackets upstanding therefrom and slotted at their u per ends'to receive trunnions on a container, in combination with pressed metal correspondingly tapered covers telescoping over the tops of said bracketsand closing the slots therein.

- 11. In a cleaning machine, a containerhaving parallel spaced ribs, means for supporting said container comprising'a pair'of band segments engaging it between said ribs, means for locking saidsegments-in-place comprising clips holding together, adjacent ends thereof; for maintaining said band in closely embracing relationship with saidcontainer, said clips carrying trunnions outstanding from the outer ends thereof for rotatably mounting said container.

12. In a cleaning machine, a container for cleaning fluid and articles to be cleaned, supporting means for said container comprising an encircling band, trunnions extending outwardly from opposite ends of said band, bearings for said trunnions, one of said trunnions having an outwardly-openingpocket, and a turning crank with an end received in said pocket, the trunnionreceiving said crank having an annular recess, the inner portionv of said bearing fitting in said recess for limiting the trunnion against undesired upward movement. I '13. In a. cleaning machine, a container having a pair of spaced ribs, means for supporting said containercomprising a pair of band segments engaging the container between said ribs, trunnions disposed between ,said segments at the ends thereof, said segments being outwardly embossed to receive said trunnions, and means for holding said segmentstogether and in embracing relationship with said trunnions and container.

14. In a; cleaning machine, a container having spaced parallel ribs,' means for supporting said container comprising apairof band segments engaging it between said ribs, said band segments having outstanding end portions with adjacent faces adapted to lie against each other, said end portions being outwardly embossed to form pockets, trunnions mounted in said pockets between said outwardly embossed portions, and means adapted to be progressively tightened for simultaneously locking said segments in place and holding the trunnions so that they are adapted to serve'for rotatively mounting said container.

15. In a cleaning machine, a container having a pair of spaced ribs, means for supporting said container comprising a pair. of band segments engaging said container between said ribs, trunnions disposed between said segments at the ends thereof, said segments being outwardly embossed to receive said trunnions and apertured' on opposite sides of said embossed portions, and bolts passing through said apertures and associated with nuts adapted to beprogressively tightened for holding said'segments together and said trunnions in position.

WILLIAM E. SHARP. 

